WOUNDS AND INJURIES

Wounds and injuries

DEFINITION

Disruption of the normal structure of tissues caused by the application of force.

Wounds and injuries

Legal definition of a wound

a wound is where the whole skin is broken, the continuity of the skin broken. An abrasion of the surface is not sufficient. Splits of the inside of the mouth are included but not fractures or internal injuries if the overlying skin is intact.

Wounds and injuries

A wound implies a deliberate action

while an injury can be caused accidentally.

Interpretation of injuries

This is the most important part of the forensic examination

The nature of the agent(s) causing the injuries may be identified in general terms

e.g. due to a blunt object or a sharp object. The pattern of the injuries on the body may help in deciding the circumstances

in which the injuries occurred, accident, suicide or homicide.

Blunt force injuries

• Abrasions

• Bruises

• Lacerations

Injuries due to sharp or long instruments

• Incised wounds

• Stab wounds

Bruise

• Crushing of tissues

• epidermis uninjured

• connective tissue crushed

• small vessels ruptured and bleed into tissues

• common in young and old, haematological problems

• falls, assaults

Abrasions

• Surface injury• graze or scratch• rough surface striking the body tangentially• crushed epidermis, pressure or imprint

abrasions• examples: ligature mark, fingernail scratches,

tyre marks, ground or gravel injuries e.g. grazed knees

Lacerations

• Breach in epidermis and dermis• crush injury• common where skin stretched over bone, scalp,

face and shins• margins bruised and abraded• tissues not cleanly divided, tissue ‘bridges’

across base of wound• bleed profusely• falls, kicks and blows from object

Stab wounds

• Caused by long object

• penetrate body

• small surface wound, depth varies

• shape depends on object penetrating

Incised wound

• Due to sharp instruments

• length greater than depth

• wound margins uninjured

• deep tissues cleanly cut

• e.g. surgeon’s incised wound

Other injuries

• Weals

• Glass injuries

• Axe injuries

• Thermal injuries

• Firearm injuries

• Defence injuries

• Self-inflicted injuries

Miscellaneous

• Weals - triple response

• defence injuries - assaults; arms, hands, legs

• self inflicted - haphazard on arms or body in mental disorders

• tentative injuries - suicide attempts; short, shallow wounds on wrists or neck

Age of injuries

• Colour changes in bruises - purple to yellow

• scab formation in abrasions

• scabbing and scarring of laceration

• histological examination of tissues

Death from injuries

• Haemorrhage

• damage to vital structure

• shock

• infection

• pulmonary thromboembolism

• acute tubular necrosis

• fat embolism